100 Club makes donations to police

Published 6:00 pm, Tuesday, February 27, 2001

There's almost $60,000 worth of new police gear floating around Montgomery County, courtesy of the 100 Club in Houston.

The Magnolia Police Department received $9,966 in radio equipment and bullet-proof vests, while the Oak Ridge North Police Department and Montgomery County Constables Precinct 1 both received radio equipment, bullet-proof vests, and tactical helmets and shields.

The donation to Oak Ridge North's department totaled $27,391, while the constable's office received $24,061 in equipment.

Magnolia Police Deputy Chief Gene Kerr said the four hand-held radios his department received will be given to four officers.

Six bullet-proof vests were also given to Magnolia Police Department.

"Not everybody had one because we hadn't budgeted for them, so they helped us out with those as well," Kerr said.

ORN Police Chief Andy Walters said the radio equipment his department received allowed the department to switch over to the new 800-mhz system, allowing officers in the field to contact other agencies.

Tactical equipment will be used if officers find themselves in a situation where they are facing armed suspects.

"We couldn't have done all of this without the 100 Club," Walters said. "We just didn't have it in the city budget. The 100 Club is a source of funding that we can depend on when there is a real need for equipment like that."

Precinct 1 Constable Don Chumley said the equipment his department received is safety equipment, and most of that equipment went to the four officers who serve mental health warrants for the entire county.

"It's very important for officer safety, which is our top priority," Chumley said. "This is the first time we've asked the 100 Club for anything, and we got everything we asked for."

The 100 Club is a non-profit organization with more than 13,000 members. The organization provides benefits to families who lose a loved one in the line of duty and provides life-saving equipment to law enforcement agencies.

The group gave a total of $450,000 in equipment to 16 different agencies in the nine counties they cover.

Annual membership dues are $100. For more information, call 713-952-0100.